The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of a pomegranate tree, botanically known as Punica granatum L. of the Lythraceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the variety denomination ‘EMEK’.
The new Punica granatum ‘EMEK’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors, Doron Holland, Irit Bar-Ya'akov and Kamel Hatib in the Yizre'el Valley, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Punica granatum variety with vigorous production of mature fruit and good eating quality.
Pomegranate seedlings of the inventors' pomegranate collection were planted in the Yizre'el Valley, Israel. The new Punica granatum ‘EMEK’ originated from open pollination of an unknown, unpatented Punica granatum variety. The new Punica granatum ‘EMEK’ was observed in 2003 and selected in 2006 by the inventors in a controlled environment in the Yizre'el Valley, Israel.
Asexual propagation of the new Punica granatum ‘EMEK’ by cuttings was first performed in February of 2006 in the Yizre'el Valley of Israel, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new variety is firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual propagation. The new variety propagates true-to-type. Resulting plants of the new Punica granatum were planted in 2007 in the Yizre'el Valley.